In Kalamazoo, Michigan, Chansey Willis Jr. was instrumental in guiding the Western Michigan basketball team to a victory over Ohio with a score of 82-73 on Tuesday night. Willis was a standout player, contributing 34 points and demonstrating his playmaking abilities with eight assists for the Broncos. Western Michigan, which now holds a record of 10-18 overall and 7-8 in the Mid-American Conference, also benefitted from significant contributions by Javaughn Hannah. Hannah not only added 14 points, hitting 6 out of 11 attempts, but also dominated the boards with 10 rebounds. Donovan Williams chipped in with 10 points, showcasing his shooting skills by hitting 3 of 7 shots, including an impressive 2 of 4 from beyond the arc.
Ohio, who now stands at 15-13 overall and 9-6 in conference play, was led by Shereef Mitchell. Mitchell put up 21 points for the Bobcats, with strong support from AJ Brown, who scored 15 points, grabbed six rebounds, and snagged three steals. Jackson Paveletzke also offered a well-rounded performance, finishing with 11 points alongside five assists and five steals.
The tipping point of the game came at 9:32 in the second half when Seryee Lewis scored a layup, giving Western Michigan a definitive lead at 63-61, which they held onto for the remainder of the game.
Looking ahead, both teams are set to compete again on Saturday. Western Michigan will head to Northern Illinois, while Ohio plans to host Miami (Ohio) in their upcoming matches.
